From Jemma to Skye
by hintink
Summary: *A parallel story* The betrayal. His accident. Jemma had to leave. Skye finds out something.
1. Providence

Trip is in a chair organizing some tools, scattered over a desk. Skye says his name. He can't hear her, because he is listening to music. When she realizes that, she touches his arm. He gets startled and moves to a defensive position. Recognizing her, he takes his earphones out.

"Next time just come into my visual field," he requests. She grins and looks down. They notice the mess he has just caused under the table. The ground is covered with papers, fallen from somewhere.

Skye helps him to gather those different sized documents. Before he sees it, she catches one small envelope with her name on it. She puts it at the bottom of the pile and then in her back pocket.

"It must be someone's hiding place," he supposes.

They look at each other. "May's," they say at the same time. Smile.

"I'll put them back," she decides. He hands in the pages to her.

She goes down and finds one piece of the table slightly open.

"Aren't you curious?" he asks.

She frowns under the table. Two seconds of silence.

"I could open it again, you know?" he continues.

Dull sound. She gets up.

"You won't."

He sighs. She winks at him.

"Hey, what did you want from me?" Trip questions when she is about to leave.


	2. Handwritten

_Dear Skye,_

_I am not going to explain my actions or my reasons, but I can tell you what I think and what I feel. _

_The moment I found out I had to leave, something clicked inside me. It is high likely that I won't see you again and that hurts immensely. One part of me suddenly makes sense. I am relieved but at the same time in distress. These days before my departure have been a huge challenge. Being in love with you is a considerable secret to keep, but it turns out I am not such a bad liar after all, especially to myself._

_If you are reading this, it means I won't come back._

_I just wanted you to know that I would never run away from you._

_*Jemma Simmons_


	3. The messenger

Two weeks after reading the letter for the first of many times, May is waiting for Skye in her bedroom.

"I need it back," May says. "The envelope."

Skye's expression is serious. She closes the door.

"You weren't supposed to have it yet," May adds.

"Is she safe then?" Skye asks.

"She is alive," May answers blinking slowly. "If she comes back, you can never tell her."

"For… your reputation?!"

"No. Whatever she wrote, she chose to release it under particular circumstances."

Skye breathes strongly. May turns her hand. Her palm is up. Skye shakes her head.

"I will give it to you later", orders Skye.

"Oh. So you steal from my nest and I cannot know yours..."

"I didn't intend to discover it."

May opens the door. "Ten minutes and no word of this again."

Skye nods. "I am surprised you haven't already searched for it."

May raises one eyebrow.

"Talking is Plan B, isn't it?" Skye realizes.

"Better than being Plan C," May grins and leaves.


	4. The safe house

Jemma can't focus on her work. Fitz's words must be reverberating in her mind. After staring at the key for ages, she makes a call from the lab. Click. One smile comes up, but softens as she hears a standard voicemail message.

"Hey," Jemma frowns. "I didn't expect... I don't know if I should be happy or worried about you being unavailable in The Retreat." The idea keeps developing in the background. "Anyway, I've thought maybe it is better that we talk before you try the gloves, okay?". She is silent for a couple of seconds. "Your powers are hard to assimilate, of course much more to you, but... I am not afraid of you, Skye. Despite what it may look like". She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Well, check in when possible to be certain everything is fine. Take care."


	5. Milwaukee

"Sleep well," says Lincoln.

"You know I won't," replies Raina.

"Would _good night_ be okay?"

She slightly snorts.

"Then, see you tomorrow." He faces the door.

"That's not accurate either, is it?"

Lincoln gets a little serious, frowns and turns around.

"I thought it could be the ocean behind you, but the scent and soothing pace…" She caresses the wooden armrest, drawing circles.

"Lake Michigan," he completes with a contained grin.

She looks at him for a moment, then head down again. "No matter how close you feel your protégée, her heart is not addressed to you."

It seems he is considering to answer. "See you soon."

"See you," she whispers before he closes the door.


	6. The empty bomb case

The door is half-open. Low short knocks. Slowly, Fitz gives a step into the office to look inside. He sees nobody. He decides to go in and leave the object on Coulson's table anyway.

"Good morning," a male voice surprises him.

"Dr. Garner…," Fitz notices his face on the screen of the wall behind him.

"He is coming right away." Fitz nods. "Don't forget you can reach me whenever any of you need me. Like this or any other way," says kind of hopeful the psychiatrist with a gesture.

Fitz smiles softly. "Thank you." His foot heads the door for a second and then goes back to its original position. "We've encountered a lot of monsters."

"Yes."

"For the first time we want to kill one." Dr. Garner keeps quiet. "Does that turn us into him?"

He deliberates on his reply. "Feelings and thoughts aren't actions."

Fitz stares serious. "What if one of us really intended it?"

"Well, you are raising a complex issue. We can't be categorical without the whole picture." Fitz looks disappointed for a moment. "First of all, could this person have a different motive from yours?"

Fitz unsuccessfully searches for the answer on the floor at the same time as in his mind.

Coulson goes in.

"Hey, sir," Fitz has awaken, his hand points at the table. "Later."


	7. Patient

A few minutes before their quinjet arrives to the base, two agents guard Jemma from Cal, seated and tied, with his headphones still on.

"I will not hurt you," he says. "Yet," he mocks whispering.

After checking the belts, she indicates with her head that is safe. They give a few steps back. She cautiously kneels down in front of him, rolls up one sleeve and starts to extract his blood.

"Are you Jemma?" She doesn't speak. "My Daisy didn't tell me much about… this," he looks around and at her again. "But she did talk to me about you. That may mean something." She makes eye contact with him. "It might have meant. She is not like you. She has never been." Jemma looks away again. "You must already know it."

The little container gets full, the tiny built-in needle goes out and a band-aid takes up the place.

"We have to accept who they are," he adds.

Jemma rolls down the sleeve and gets up.


	8. Twenty past seven

Skye visits Fitz, who is creating metal squares with a machine.

"Hey, have you had dinner?," she asks. He shakes his head. "Well, I am starving." Fitz stares at her. "Join me?"

"No." He almost looks her in the eye. "Thanks."

"Will you be long? I can bring you something."

"I am fine," he says barely convincingly.

"And where is Jemma? I haven't seen her today."

Fitz changes the tool. A couple of times. "With the stone. She's coming any minute now."

"She hasn't eaten either, right?"

"No."

"Great."

He gulps. Skye is walking out of the lab. "She is going to have dinner outside," he almost shouts.

Skye stops and turns around slowly. "With you." She realises aloud.

Fitz nods.

She sort of grins. "Have fun... guys." She walks out.


	9. Tremor

"Are you allright?," Hunter is checking Bobbi's body over the sheet gesturing quite much.

"Yes. And you are breaking the protocol," she answers.

"That's basically why they hired me. And it's not the only thing broken around here." He brushes pieces of glass on the floor with his left shoe.

"I am safer than others, this is a main beam." She points at the wall next to her and holds his hand.

"You have to be joking..." Bobbi raises one eyebrow. "Hell, they trained you well." He makes her smile.

"Anyway, this has been a small one."

"No. Well, yes, it could have been worse. But, I mean, I've just bumped into May on the stairs and she assumes Skye has caused it."


	10. Crossroad

"Where are you going?," Fitz asks Mack and Skye, who are almost running.

They both turn around. "We'll try to bring Lincoln safe," Mack answers while opening a door. "And you, so dressed up…?"

Fitz looks at himself. "I've just put a jacket on."

"And a different cologne," Mack replies.

"I'm finally going out to have dinner," Fitz says calmly. Mack nods and keeps going.

Skye's face does not react. Her body follows Mack.


	11. Space

They are serious after Jemma has displayed, on backwards, the evolution of the space agency logo. The first draft of a plan comes up, a few proposals follow, then several conversations grow at the same time and most of the agents start to leave the room. Rosalind is talking to Coulson, but he kindly interrupts her and approaches May and Jemma, while both are seated next to each other, in silence, near the table.

"I can't imagine what you two are being through, but I haven't had the chance to tell you how glad I am that you are here with us". Coulson touches Jemma's arm and she grins gratefully. Also with his right hand, he caresses the ends of May's hair. Coulson meets Rosalind at the door and they vanish.

"As you weren't here…," Jemma asks May, "how much did you know about me gone?"

May frowns for a moment. "I didn't lose hope, if that is concerning you."

"It was." The relief is obvious, but not definite. "Thank you."

"Do you want the letter back or your request remains the same?" May almost whispers, trying in vain not to catch her by surprise.

"I am not sure…" Jemma is nervous. "So many things have changed. Even her name." She calms a little seeing May's smile.

"Change is necessary. Sometimes even in envelopes," May makes her smile now.


End file.
